Kung fu and Tai chi

[italian_guy]

Can someone educate me me about the analogies between kung fu

 

and the combact side of tai chi?

 

Thanks

[JerryLove]

Taiji is a kung-fu.

 

What is your question?

[italian_guy]

I thought that Tai chi was mosltly a sort of physical exercise with some combat moves. Since (at least here in italy) is practiced mosly on kung fu dojos I thought that maybe there are some similarity with kung fu.

 

Now I learn from you that Tai chi IS kung fu but I noticed that is mostly physical exercise and what concern fighting is not the most relevant aspect... can you tell me more about it?

[Sasori_Te]

I think what Jerry Love is saying is that Taiji is "an art or skill mastered over time" which is the meaning of kung fu. What style of Taiji Chu'an do you practice? There are many.

[italian_guy]

At the moment none but I'm interested to try it.

[JerryLove]

No. I mean Taiji is a fighting art indegenous to China. Taijiquan (Grand Nexus Boxing) is one of the three major Niejia (Internal martial arts) of China.

 

The fact that people teach Taiji as something else is similar to the fact that there is "cardio boxing" which takes stuff from boxing and makes the martial sport into simply and aerobic exercise.

 

That said, I cannot comment intelligently on what you are looking at, as I have not seen it... but Tiaji is a martial art.

[Drunken Monkey]

a friend once told me:

 

'how to tell a good tai chi teacher?'

 

ask him/her why it's done so slowly.

 

if they answer with something that involves the words peace, calm or relaxation, walk away.....

 

if they mention something about 8 principles, think about staying.

[JerryLove]

It's done slowly for correctness.

[Breakdancer]

yup its worthless self defense art until you understand hte concept, and whe nyou do you'll be a bad mofo, but Taichi is kung fu, or rather tai chi is wushu, people seperate tai chi and kung fu because tai chi is mostly just practicing the 8 energies, and kung fu is more about applying them. In tai chi theres no offense, its all about redirecting energy

[Drunken Monkey]

and in one word, jerry has hit it spot on...

 

you have no idea how many times i hear a 'tai chi teacher' go on and on and on and never mention correctness....